First day at school...

Oh, dear.  I've been missing for quite sometimes.  Please forgive me...but if you happened to be a mom...especially and SAHM...you will definitely understand.  School holidays ...Christmas holidays...New Year holidays....are meant for kids...teenagers...singles...dads...but definitely not for moms...those are the busiest moments of the whole years.  Because at those days...the cooking...washing...cleaning...are EVEN MORE and NEVER ENDS!!!

So, wish you all a great new year....2013!!! Which ends all the 'end of the world' stories!!!..  Hmm, wonder what 'date' will they come up next?

So, what 'BIG' happening at my corner of the world?  Well, it definitely is "BACK TO SCHOOL"!

This year, Mei Mei turns 7 years old and she is joining Jojo

to attend primary school.  Jojo is in Primary Yr 3 this year.

Jojo is rather excited for her first day back to school.  Why?  At her school all the Yr 1 ~ Yr 3

are in the afternoon session ( school starts at 1pm and ends at 6.25pm)

While all Yr 4 ~Yr 6 are in the morning session (school start at 7.30am and ends at 1pm)

So....that means...she is among the SENIORs in school this year.

For the first 3 days in school...the parents are allow to come into the school compound to 'accompany' their children during the whole school time.  In Malaysia... the culture is...

the parents will stand and peep into the classroom where they kids are and check on them every now and then...to see if the kids are "comfortable" ...

WEIRD?   It do look weird!  Do you have this thing happening at your place?

Well...there are some minorities of kids who still holding on their parents hands and 

would allow them to leave the class... yes, it happens...every year...this scene repeat...Luckily,

Mei Mei is not in that group.

This year... there are also 10 classes open for the Yr 1 students.  There about 33~ 35 students per class.  I'm not sure if this is consider 'BIG' or 'small'... anyway ...the are about 4 Chinese primary around the neighborhood...and this school is considered as the one with the largest numbers of students.  Mei Mei is lucky to be able to meet a few of her kinder garden classmates in the same class, so she don't really feel lonely.  Actually, she begin running and hooping around in class after the first 5 minutes.

Since Mei Mei is alright with the class and school.  I don't want to join the 'stand and spy into the classroom' group...So, I take a walk around the school and check out the canteen....

Well, unlike the one you see in Japan or U.S., most the school canteens here are not indoor...it's more like a big hall without wall or door.  Equip with only fans, washing basins, long table and long benches.  But I'm not worry... the break time is quite short.  There are 2 break times, the first break is 15 minutes and the second is 10 minutes.  So, when the break time bell rang, the kids 'flew' into the canteen...'grab' the food... within 3 minutes...all gone into other activities...(playing and chatting with friends at the field or under the tree...or other rest area.)

Here is Malaysia.  The school don't prepare food for the kids.  There are counters in the canteen which rented out to outsider to sale food there.  The students can choose to buy the food there or bring their own 'bento'.

Let's check out the food...

There are small quantities and varieties of fruits...(mostly guava, papaya, pineapple)

sale in small packets for RM 0.40 to RM0.80.

Some steam Dim Sum...pricing from RM0.50 to RM2.00.

Fruit juice and Chocolate milk (Milo ice)  price from RM0.50 ~ RM1.00

Some fried snacks...drumettes, fish ball, wan tan RM 0.30 ~ RM1.20

All sort of noodles and rice

some snacks too...

All the food and price is not too bad... but I observed there is not much 'order' during the food ordering and paying.   There are not queue bars and none of the students do that.  They come like a 'storm'.   And it's quite a havoc during the break time.

I 'supervise' Mei Mei around the canteen for the first 3 days.  This is the first time she 'spend'.  I only give her coins as I see some of the seller in the counter forget to give change to the students when they pay with notes.  I advise Mei Mei try to give exact amount during paying.  With  a little purse full of coins... I can see this young lady is really excited to spend!

So, what's the first day at school like at your place?

If you write about it, do drop your link at the comment bar...

I will definitely want to know!

Well... I sign off here...as this post seem too long...

come back again...

Join my journey in preparing 'bento' (lunch pack) for the girls.

Love

PC

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